The Fast

by Alex Buckey

Gluttony was still a grave and vaguely goofy sin. She had the Young Adult Bible Study dinner to thank for that lesson. Alternate Tuesday evenings were spent at the Olive Garden, where she had to remind herself to keep her lust for free breadsticks in check. Last time she had gotten some smirks and raised eyebrows when she went for her third, even though it had been clear no one else was going to eat it. This brazen act had been made still more shameful and ridiculous by the strand of oily fettuccine alfredo that had snaked its way down her blouse. This time, she let the still-laden bread basket pass away without comment, and left a chaste, dignified amount of ravioli to push around her plate.